An important element of Operation: Military Kids! is raising public awareness of how the deployment and homecoming process affects families. Speak Out for Military Kids (SOMK) is an educational program that does just that by giving military youth the opportunity to share the more personal side of deployment with members in their community. Youth from grades 7-12 create a speakers' bureaus and develop lectures, public service announcements, video, and other materials to share their experiences with others. In additon to building public awareness about issues facing military families during mobilization and deployment, SOMK provides its youth participants with the opportunity to gain valuable leadership, research, organization, technology, and public speaking skills. 

 

To view our SOMK flier in adobe format, Click here. 

 

 

 

This overnight retreat is free to any youth interested in the Operation Military Kids program. Keep posted to this website for further details in 2008 when this program will be available. Scholarships to attend this retreat will be awarded for this valuable service. Contact Mark Simmons at (402)444-7804 or mesimmon@unlnotes.unl.edu for more information.

 

These military and non-military youth from Nebraska traveled to Washington D.C. as part of the Operation Military Kids Program.  This photo was taken during their meeting with Chuck Hagel.